The Lake Charles echo., 1887-02-19
sentlmentaI POlItIcs.
Morehouse sentinel.

NNA@NAA-~-'
The unhealthy sentimentalism which
ever and anon creeps into the politics
of our State is a feeling which we
think is wrong in theory and in prac-
tice. Some gore stained veteran of a
hundred battles, is proclaimed to be
the only salvation for our State and
his election to high position is urged
upon the grounds of his past services
or record in some conflict of the long
ago. His praises are sung to the tunes
Of the iingling harp and his glory is
heralded to the unsuspecting, with the
hope that the people will rally to his
support and elect him Governor or
Senator or some big Office. This kind
of gush will do to whisper softly to
the "Marines" but has little effort
upon the minds of men who have
brains enough to form an opinion Of
their own. To the soldier, who gal
lantly and bravely fought to defend
his country's rights, let all honor be
paid. To the man who has sacrificed
Fortune or time to bring peace, pros
perity and happiness to our people,
let full Justice be done, But from the
fact that man has simply done in his
humble sphere all that duty required
of him is no reason why he should be
elevated to a position in the civil gov
ernment which by nature and eircum-
stances be is wholly untitled to occupy.
This silly sentimentalism has broken
out afresh in our State, and it now de-
mands that Gen. Nichols should be
the successor of Gov. McEnery. Be-
fore we yield to its elamors and agree
to throw MeEnery overheard, we must
be convinced that better man than
he, is to take charge of the ship OF
State. In vain we scfutinize the record
and the character OF Gen. Nichols to
find any points of superiority over
our present Chief Magistrate. They
were both brave and gallant soldiers,
both fought the Republican party to
death, both are honest, conscientious
men, both have been elected to the
office of Governor of our great State.
But here the resemblance ends, The
administration of Nichols was con
fessedly a failure of gigantic proper
tions, the grand objects which he was
expected and required to accomplish
we're left informed, and he retired from
office without creating many pangs of
regret in the bosom of the people.
Gov, McEnery has caused his ad-
ministration to be the most glorious
and prosperous since ante 6eItam days
BY bis executive ability and honesty
in the conduct of the affairs of the
State, he has redeemed her credit and
she is now on a sound financial basis.
When McEnery was indueted into
Office warrants and other State Sc
curities were hawked about the streets
for less than one-half of their face
value. The credit of the State was dis
honored, but now the financial condi-
ton of our State is in so fourishing a
condition that all expenses and debts
of the State will be paid in full. When
McEnery was elected Governor the
levees were down from the gulf of
Mexico to the Arkansas line, but by
energy and untiring zeal in the inter
est Of his people the annual floods
which formerly devastated our fair
country are checked in their onward
course.
His answering and uncompromis-
ing Democracy has led him to appoint
none but good and true Democrats to
official position. MeEnery is prac-
tical statesman, aud a chief executive
of whom any State might well be
proud. We want to see better man
than Nichols in the race before we
leave the colors of the present Gov
ernoE We are pretty certain that a
large majority of Democrats of LOUIS
lana think Just as We do, and the sen.
timental tears shed over the MANNED
Nichols may perhaps get him a pen
sion, but never put him in the guber-
material chair,